The former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, are among notable Nigerians that would bag honourary degrees during the 3rd convocation ceremony of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado
Ekiti tomorrow.
Also to be honoured are Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev Mathew Kukah and the former Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences (ICPC), Justice Emmanuel Ayoola
The university will be graduating a total of 739 graduands across six faculties, with 65 of them passing out with first class, 339, second-class, 258, second-class lower and 74, third Class degrees.
At a press conference heralding the convocation ceremony the University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Michael Ajisafe, revealed that the university complied with the Keffi declaration by the Association of Vice Chancellors, where it was advised that such honours should only be bestowed on credible Nigerians before arriving at the choices.
It is apposite at this juncture to emphasize the place and import of Honourary degrees. Their beauty anywhere in the world is that they are awarded to persons who are deserving of such honour having excelled in character, useful application intellect and academic excellence.
Ajisafe revealed that many of the students could not cope and had to withdraw from the institution on account of the management’s stringent measures against smoking, night clubbing, cultism and other anti-social activities.
He added that the University’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti for the running of College of Medicine, has not broken down as being rumoured.
“We are still using FETHI as a training ground for our medical students. But part of the MoU was that the doctors won’t go on strike, but the residents’ doctors have been flouting this.
“We are desirous of ensuring that our students finishes to time and we are building our own teaching hospital. We don’t have to wait for ten years the MoU was supposed to last before taking this good step”.
Speaking on the achievement feats of the institution since inception,Ajisafe disclosed that four students of the university excelled at the 2015 edition of the Microsoft imagine cup finals, held in Seattle, United States of America.
“The beauty of it all was that our university emerged the Africa champions before we proceeded to USA, where they did ABUAD, Nigeria and Africa proud”.
The VC added that the university by December 2015 would hosts the prestigious Nigeria Universities Games, which he said also indicated the level of recognition the university has garnered.
